Dispensing device



May 1958 F. E. ERHCKSON ET AL 2,335,325

DISPENSING DEVICE Filed April 13, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 BYZM A? ITTOP/Vi) May 27, 1958 F. E. ERICKSON ET AL 2,836,325

DISPENSING DEVICE Filed April 13, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-3 INVENTORS n mun/M f, fem 501v Y 40mm 44 pa:

May 27, 1958 Filed April l3, 19

F. E. ERICKSON ET AL DISPENSING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 imam/ax i. iF/(ASO/V 40m; 4 pa: BY

May 1953 F. E. ERICKSON ET AL 2,836,325

DISPENSING DEVICE Filed April 13, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 1 I 65 BY mod/4.7

May 27, 1 5 F. E. ERICKSON ET AL 2, 6,325

DISPENSING DEVICE Filed April 13, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR5 Fiiflii/(K i iv/cn'ow 10ml. A. 20!

lffOP/Vi) 2,836,325 1C6 Patented May 27,1958

DISPENSING DEVICE Fred E. Erickson and Loyal K. Roe, North Sacramento, Calif.

Application April 13, 1953, Serial No. 348,324

4 Claims. (Cl. 221-26) This invention relates to a dispensing device for individual, one-by-one dispensing of paper slips or the like.

In prior dispensing devices for individual, one-by-one dispensing of cards, tickets and the like, the dispensing mechanism has employed, as the ejecting element, a dog or other like member which is intended to engage the rear edge of an individual card or ticket and to push the same forwardly. Such mechanisms may be coin operated or otherwise, but their mode of operation is such that it is necessary to employ cards, tickets or the like having a substantial thickness, whereby the lowermost or the uppermost in a stack of cards can be individually engaged by a dog or the like and pushed forward singly without pushing forward :two or more cards simultaneously.

A need exists for a dispensing mechanism which will individually dispense thin paper slips of approximately the thickness of ordinary newsprint, i. e., about four points or 0.004 inch, such dispensing operation being rapid and automatic in its operation and not requiring an overly complex mechanism. An advantage of such a mechanism and operation is that a vastly greater supply of thin paper slips than of thick cards can be provided in a given storage space. Not only is space saved, but a dispensing machine can run much longer without refillmg.

Heretofore, to our knowledge, no adequate, satisfactory means for accomplishing this result has been provided. It will be apparent that a need exists since, for many purposes, such as tickets, papers printed with answers to questions or telling a persons fortune or other purposes of a serious or entertaining nature, thin slips of paper are equally Well adapted for the intended purpose provided a suitable dispensing mechanism can be provided.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a dispensing machine which is capable of individually dispensing paper slips of the thickness of average newsprint, i. e., about four points or 0.004 inch.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism whereby thin slips of paper or the like can be automatically dispensed one-by-one with rapidity and with dependability.

A further object is to provide a machine of the character described, capable of dispensing small slips of paper individually from a stack of such slips, such slips having a thickness of about four points, and such machine being capable of dependable, speedy operation over long periods of time, being relatively simple in its construction and being manually operable without any skill on the part of the operator.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description and the appended claims.

One form of the invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the dispensing device of the invention, which is shown as being incorporated with a napkin holder.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the type of paper slip dis pensed by the apparatus of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a view in front elevation of the dispensing mechanism with the front cover removed.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the dispensing mechanism with the top cover removed.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal, vertical mid-sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a section taken along the line 66 of Figure 3, showing the dispensing mechanism at the start of operation.

Figures 7 and 8 are fragmentary views similar to Figure 5 but showing the dispensing mechanism in successive stages of operation.

Figure 9 is a section taken along the line 9-9 of Figure 3.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary view similar to that shown in Figure 9 but with the slide plate removed.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Figures 1 and 5, the device of the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 and it comprises an outer casing or housing 11 which is integral with wings 12 which are conventional holders for paper napkins. It will be understood, of course, that the latter feature is optional. Thus, if the sole function of the apparatus is dispensing, the wings 12 may be eliminated. The apparatus is supported on rubber pads or legs 13 to prevent scratching and scuffing of a surface upon which it rests.

Also shown in Figure 1 are a coin slot 14, an operating lever 15 having a handle 15:: (see Figure 5) which moves in a slot 16, a dispensing slot 18 and an opening 19 to receive a glass window 20 and behind which may be located any desired decorative design, instructions for use of the apparatus, et-c.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 5, the housing 11 comprises a main portion having a back or rear wall 26, a bottom 27 and side walls 28. The main portion 25 is open at the top and front and is closed by means of a detachable front and top portion 29 having a top or cover portion 30 and a front or face portion 31. The cover 30 has a hook 32 which is received in a slot 33 formed in the rear wall 26. The lock 17 on the front portion 31 has a tongue 34 which is received in a slot 35 formed in the bottom 27.

To the inner surface of the front plate 31 is fixed a channel-shaped member which extends substantially from top to bottom of the device. About midway of the height of the channel 40 and just below the dispensing slot 18, the channel 40 is formed with a raised portion 41 for a purpose which is described hereinafter. Just above this raised portion the channel 40 is formed wifl1 a transverse slot 42. A bearing plate 43 of highly polished stainless steel construction is fixed to the inner surface of the channel 40 above the dispensing slot 18 and at its lower end it is formed with a rounded tongue 44 which, together with the adjacent edge 45 of the channel 40, forms the'dispensing slot 18. The channel 40 is held in place at the bottom by means of a nut 45 on the barrel of the lock 17 and at the top by a bracket 47 which is integral with and extends downwardly from a plate 43 which is welded to the cover 30. As is best shown in Figure 6, a strip or plate 49 having a hole 49a is provided through which the lever 15 extends. The purpose of the strip 49 is to move with the lever 15 and to maintain the slot 16 closed at all times. This prevents access to the interior of the housing 11 without the use of a key.

The apparatus of the invention is intended to dispense paper slips such as shown at 59 in Figure 2. The dimen sions of the slip presently dispensed are 2 /8" x 1%" and the slip is the thickness of ordinary newsprint, i. e., about 'meral 81.

four points or 0.004 inch. This is much too thin for oneby-one ejection from a stack of slips by mechanismsem- 2,836,326 a I v 7 4 r coin chamber 86 formed by a plate 87 which is welded ployed heretofore which rely upon a dog or the like to kick out the bottom-most or topmost card in a stack. The dimensions of the slip, of'course,. may vary widely.

, Another feature of the slip is a round: hole or perforation 51 and a very narrow slit 52 which; joins the adjacent edge of the slip to the hole 51. On either or both faces of the slip 50 maybe printed any information desired, e. g., an answer to a question, onefs fortune; etc,

7 The dispensing'jmechanism is shown in Figures 3 to '10 V and is there generally designated by the numeral 55'. It

comprises a frameworkwhich includes a base 56, a magazine or holder 57. and a side plate 58. The base 56 consists of a horizontal plate 59'and spaced, parallei, upright legs 66 which fit snugly within the lower portion of the housing 11 and form therewith a coin box 61. Disposed within the base 56 just below the plate 59 is a plate 62 which provides a frame memberifor attachment of certain of the operating elements of the mechanism as de 7 scribed hereinafter. 'An upturned portion 63 of the plate 62 in conjunction with. an adjacent bracket 64 which is welded to the adjacent side Wall 60, provides a coin passage 65 to guide coins down into the coin boxv 61 as At its forward edge the frame 7 platerl62 is provided with a U-shaped wear member 66 over which the above-mentioned projection 41snaps V when'the top and front portion 29 of the housing is explained hereinafter.

closed.

The magazine 57is'a channeI-shaped member and it comprises a rear wall 70, side walls 71 and lateral wings or flanges 72. A base 73 is provided for the magazine which, as shown in Figures 73 and 5, comprises spaced, parallel 'guideways '74. The guideways 74 are spaced rather widely apart and are disposed at an angle of about 15 slanting forwardly and downwardly. The guideways74 provide bottom support'for' a stack 75 of slips 501which are, therefore, supported at an angle of about 15. The lower, forward end of the stack abuts and slides upon the bearing plate 43. The side walls 71 are spaced apart approximately the width of the slips 50 so' that the stack fits snugly but easily within the magazine.

, The stack 75 isguided, and is restrained from sliding down the 'ways 74 by rneans of a rod'76 which is'fixed at its lower end, beneath the ways74, to the rear wall.

70 of. the magazine and which is free at its upper end.

the plate 87 and the side plate 58.- The link 89 has a I tail portion 91 which operates the ejector mechanism The holes 51 in'the slips '50 are in registry sojthat the rod will pass through all of these holes and will hold and 7 guide the entire stack. The slits 52 in the slips are substantially narrower than the diameter of the rod 76 so that the rod will hold the slips in position on the ways 74 until a sufiicient positive force is applied to detach the slips as explained in detail hereinafter.

Thedispensing mechanism also comprises a me chanical linkage which is shown in elevationtview and.

at the commencement of a cycle of operation in Figure 6 and which is generally designated by the numeralSt). The dispensing mechanism also comprises an ejector mechanism which is shown in top plan view in Figures 9 and 10 and'in side elevation in Figures 5,17 and 8, such ejector mechanism being generally designated by the nu- The; mechanical linkage 89 comprises the aforesaid lever 15 which is pivoted at 15b'on the side 1 plate '58 and is normally held in the up position shown in Figure 5 by means of a springiSc. Near its forward end (i. e., to-the' left as viewed in Figure 6) the lever 15 has a pin or stud82 which projects through an arcuaie slot 83 which is formed in the side 'plate 58 and which hasthe pivot 15b as its center. A plate 84 is weldedto the side plate 58 and isspaced therefrom and is so shaped as to'provide an arcuatej coin chute 85.- Aslot' 85a is provided to allow access to the coin chute in case an 0V6IS1Z6d C0ll1 or slug becomesrjammed in the chute. ':At

its upper end the coin chute is inregistry with the coin slot 14 and at its lower end it communicates with a path of travel of the stud 82 on lever 15.

to the. side plate 58.v A coin. is shown. .in the coin. cham.-

ber at 83. The apparatus may be designed for operation with a penny, a nickel, a dime or a coin of any other desired denomination, or with slugs or tokens of suitable size and shape. Within the coin chamber 86 there is atlink or cam 89 which is journalled on a shaft 90 fixed to as explained hereinafter; and it also has a body portion 92 which is formed with an arcuateIed'ge having a low point at $3 and high points at 94' and 95;

In operation the mechanical linkage 80 functions the following manner: 7 t a When no coin isv present in the; coin chamber 86, the

lever 15 is mechanically'disconnected from the link 8? and movement of the lever 15 has no effect whatsoever on the link 89. But when a coin of the proper denomination is dropped into the coin chute 85 it travels down the chute into the coin chamber 86 and lodges on the high point 94 of the link 89 where it also. abuts the opposite edge of the plate 87. The coin is thussupported in the the lever 15 is moved downwardly it will carry the coin with it and will rotate the link 89 in counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 6.

The link '89 is not completely free to rotate but normally resiliently held in the position shown in Figure 6 by the ejector mechanism in the manner described hereinafteri As the lever 15 is moved downwardly against this restraining. force the coin 88 forms a part of the me chanical linkage and will rotate the link 89 from the po- I sition shown in' Figure 6 to the position shown in Figure When the center of the coin passes through the hori 7. zontal plane which includesthe axis of shaft 90, it will drop into the coin passage 65, thence into the coin box 61. The resilient force acting on the link '89 snaps it immediately back to the position shown in Figures 6 and -8. As a tsafety feature, a small projection isprovided in the plate 86 which is located'opposite the link S9 and in the horizontal plane which includestthe axis of shaft 90. Thus in operation when the lever 15 is depressedand the center of the coin 88 iscaused to pass the projection 100, it is not possible to move the coin back again, and the device cannot be operated twice with the same coin. The operation of this safety feature will be more clearly understood after description of the ejector mechanism.

When the coin38has thus dropped through the pas sage '65into the coin boxf61, the mechanical connection betweentthe lever 15 and the link .89 is broken and, even though the lever may be held down manually, it

is without efiiect on thetlink 89 which is returned auto.-

matically and instantly to the position shown in Figures 6 and 8. Should another coin be dropped into the slot while the lever is depressed, or if .the'chute has been supplied with two or more coins, the next coin will be which is slidably supported on the upturned, curved edges 192 of frame plate 62. tension spring 103 is 7 provided which is fixed at onerend, at 104,10 the forward edge of the plate 62 and. at its other .end, at 105, to the slide plate 101, thereby urging the slide plate forwardly; Forward inovemeut'of the slide plate is lim ited by a screw 106 which is received in aniopen ended slot 1tl7 formed in the slide plate and is fixedto the plate 59 by means of a nut 108. The slide plate 101 is Hence, when? formed with a recess or notch 109 at one side in which the tail 91 of the link 89 is received. The tail 91 abuts the inner edge of the notch 109 and thereby provides a mechanical connection between the mechanical linkage 80 and the ejector mechanism 81.

The slide plate 101 is cut away to provide a rectangular opening 110 which is centrally located with reference to the front of the apparatus and is located at the forward portion of the slide plate. Within the opening 119 is located a pawl 111 which is pivoted on a shaft 112 mounted in the slide plate 101 at the sides of the opening 11%. The pawl 111 is weighted by means of a weight 113 forwardly of the fulcrum 112 so that normally the pawl is rotated clockwise as viewed in Figure 5 and is held in the position shown therein, i. e., it is rotated as far as the tail portion 114 of the pawl will permit. This tail portion abuts the under surface of the slide plate 1131 to limit movement of the pawl 111. As is best shown in Figures 3 and 10, also in Figures 6 and 7, a helical coiled spring 121) is fixed at one end, at 121, to the tail portion 114 of the pawl 111 and at its other end it extends through a narrow slot 122 in the frame plate 62. The forward edge of the frame 62 is slit adjacent the forward open end of the slot 122 to provide a tongue 123 which is bent to partially obstruct the free end of the slot 122, thereby permitting insertion and removal of the free end of the spring 1261 but preventing accidental or inadvertent dislodgement of the spring from the slot due to over travel or other cause. The outer end of the pawl 111 is provided with a rubber pad 124 having a coarse surface for frictional engagement with the slips 54 but which is reasonably soft to avoid a tearing or abrasive action.

The dispensing mechanism 55 also comprises a plate 125 (see Figure 5) having a hole 126 which receives the rod 76 and which rides upon the stack 75 of slips St}. The plate 125 has sufficient weight to hold the stack 75 down and to facilitate proper ejection as explained more fully hereinafter. The dispensing mechanism also comprises a follower 127 which has a V-shaped tail portion 123 which rests on the upper end of plate 125 and is formed with holes 129 and 139 and which has a ccnvexly curved forward end portion 131 which rests upon the forward edge of plate 125. The holes 129 and 1311 are so positioned relatively to each other that, when the end portion 131 is in the position shown in Figure 5, i. e., resting on the forward edge of plate 125, the holes 129 and 130 are substantially in the position shown in Figure 5 and the follower 127 is capable of only a slight degree of rotative movement in counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 5. However, the follower 127 is easily lifted free of the rod 76, is equally easily placed in the position shown and as easily follows the plate 125 downwardly as slips are dispensed. Additionally, the apparatus may comprise an inverted, U-shaped clamp or latch member 132 which serves to secure the loose or detachable parts of the magazine against displacement when the device is turned on a side or up-ended.

In operation the dispensing mechanism 55 functions as follows:

Referring to Figure 1, a coin of the proper denomination is dropped into the slot 14 and the lever 15 is then depressed manually. Referring to Figures 6, 7 and 8, the coin drops into the coin chamber 86 to the position shown in Figure 6 and becomes a part of the mechanical linkage 8t). When the lever 15 is depressed the link 89 is rotated counterclockwise as viewed in Figure 6 and the coin is ejected into the coin box 61 when the center of the coin passes the projection at 1011. Meanwhile, counterclockwise movement of the link 89 and of its tail 91 moves the slide plate 101 rearwardly. The forward, free end of the coiled spring 120 rides in the slot 122 and exerts no force on the pawl 111 until near the end of the rearward stroke of the slide plate 101, at which time it engages the closed inner end of the slot 122. The spring is then placed under tension and immediately rocks the pawl 111 in counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figures 5 and 7 from the normally down position shown in Figure 5 to the rotated or up position shown in Figure 7. Meanwhile the spring 103 will have been placed under tension, likewise the spring 150 which urges the lever 15 to its normal up position. When the coin 88 has been ejected and the mechanical connection between the lever 15 and the link 89 is thereby broken, the spring 1113 is free to return the slide plate 101 to its forward position and it does so with a very rapid snap action involving rapid acceleration. It will be noted that the high point 94 of link 89 prevents a coin of the proper size from dropping into the coin passage 65 until the lever 15' is pressed down, and that the high point 95 prevents the next coin from dropping until the lever 15 and link 89 are returned to their normal positions and a new cycle of operation is commenced.

At the end of the rearward stroke of the slide plate 101, the pad 124 on the pawl 111 is in proper position for frictional engagement with the bottom slip 50 of the stack 75. The plate is of sufficient weight to hold the stack down and to keep feeding it downwardly as slips are ejected but it is not suflicient to insure that the stack and the plate will not rotate counterclockwise in response to upward pressure of the pawl 111, thereby counteracting or diminishing the ejecting effect of the pawl 111. The follower 127, however, prevents this from occurring.

When the forward stroke of the slide plate 101 commences, the tension on the spring 126 is, of course, relieved very rapidly, but this does not instantly cause the pawl 111 to drop back to its normal, down position. The inertia of the pawl and its weight 113 reacts against the rapid, forward acceleration and will hold the pawl in its active ejecting position during the forward stroke, or during a substantial part of the forward stroke of the slide plate 161. The rapidity of this forward stroke, the frictional engagement of the pad 124 with the stack 75, and the angle of the stack combine to bring about ejection of the bottom slip 51) without ejection of any other slip.

Further with reference to the operation of the ejector mechanism 51, the following features may be noted:

The optimum angle of the ways or shelf 74 which support the stack 75 can be determined by trial and error. For a machine of the size illustrated, and with an ejector mechanism of the construction illustrated, an angle of about 15 is optimum. We have found that a greater or a smaller angle will result in ejection of a slip to a lesser extent. However, should the factors be changed e. g., should the elevation of the tip 124- of pawl 111, or the inertia of the pawl 111 or the length of travel of the slide plate 181 be variedthen the optimum angle of the shelf or ways '7 4 will change.

Basically, the ejection operation is one of frictional engagement. There is, of course, friction between the bottommost slip 5d of the stack and the next higher slip, and between each adjacent pair of slips. There is also friction between the pawl tip 124 and the bottom slip and between the bottom slip and the ways 74. The friction between the pawl tip and the bottom slip should exceed the friction between the bottom slip and the next higher slip; and between the bottom slip and the ways 74; otherwise two slips will be ejected at once, or no ejection will occur at all. More generally stated. the friction between the ejector member (which may be a friction pawl, a friction wheel or other structure) and the immediately adjacent slip should exceed the friction between the immediately adjacent slip and the next slip, and it should also exceed friction between the immediately adjacent slip and its support.

We have found that a frictional pawl, normally inactivated, cocked by mechanical means, having a predeter- 4. Holding means for holding a stack of paper slips or the like to present the bottom slip to an ejector member, which comprises a rack having side walls spaced apart to snugly and slidably receive such a stack, an open bottom providing bottom support for the stack but allowing access of such ejector member to the bottom slip of the stack, said bottom member being pitched at an angle sloping downwardly in the direction of ejection, an upright rod disposed within said rack at the rear thereof for reception in perforations in said slips, a plate having a perforation to receive said rod, said plate being adapted to overlie and rest upon such stack to provide a weight for feeding the stack downwardly and for providing a frictional force between adjacent slips, and a follower member having a forward portion resting upon said plate to distribute its reactive force over the forward end of said stack and a rear portion formed with spaced perforations so aligned that when said rod is received therein they will allow free downward movement of the follower but will allow only a slight degree of rotation of the stack in response to upward pressure of such ejector member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 416,340 Moodie Dec. 3, 1889 536,690 Loewenbach Apr. 2, 1895 538,160 Fisher Apr. 23, 1895 755,001 Henderson Mar. 22, 1904 1,265,831 Tarasch May 14, 1918 1,287,514 Tenner Dec. 10, 1918 1,477,581 Mayer Dec. 18, 1923 1,682,192 Schoolberg Aug. 28, 1928 2,039,752 Thomas May 5, 1936 2,265,748 Slezak Dec. 9, 1941 2,554,821 Garfunkel May 29, 1951 

